2025 Running-wise

Running-wise, 2025 was an A-OK year. I will qualify that by stating that I have never, not once, been accused of running wisely. Let’s begin by discussing my highlights and lowlights of the year. Then, we’ll do the numbers.

Two pretty good accomplishments were a) breaking 1:50 in a half-marathon for the first time in eight years, and b) running three (out of five) sub-four-hour marathons. I also won some age group awards. I’m also extremely fortunate to have remained injury-free for another year. More importantly, I’m happy to report that I finally published my book, Run a lot: Dan's Guide to Marathons and Marathoning. That was a big deal.

On the flip side, I didn’t get any faster (and actually slowed down some) at shorter distances. Something I tried to do, but mostly failed at, was to get out of my comfort zone. I did participate in two half-marathon races I hadn’t run before, and I ran some (new/unusual to me) evening 5Ks organized by my friend, Ladd Clifford. But that’s pretty much it; I otherwise spent too much of the year doing the same sorts of running that I’ve become used to. I believe this is part of the reason that I didn’t get faster at shorter distances. Running, just like life, is a balance between what you accomplish and enjoy while being comfortable versus when you’re not comfortable. However, consistency is a major key to success, and I’m usually comfortable when I’m consistently running a lot. And vice versa. For 2026, I’m going to try once again to get faster at 5K, 5-Mile, and 10K road races. And to become uncomfortably involved in some track events as I did in 2024.

Here are the numbers.

• Total distance: 3,290.5 miles. I did 3,541 in 2024. Life to date total: 121,177.
• Time spent on all those miles: 632 hours.
• Average Pace: 11:32. This is slightly slower than 2024, but the same as the previous two years.

Here are the full and half-marathons:

Marathons

Half-Marathons

Blown away

I mean, blown away physically, not metaphorically.

The winds are around 50 miles per hour as I emerge from warm, cozy Shortstack (that's my house's name). Some snow is falling, but not much. It's the temperatures that are indeed falling, big time. I had planned to run about 10 miles today, but as I take my first steps in the cold, I know that's not going to happen. 

It's only been two days since the great and powerful Brunswick Marathon, yet I'm not feeling too bad. In fact, I could have run yesterday, had I not encountered other issues. Although I'm not very sore, I am tired, however. More so than usual on a Monday morning.

I start by going North. The wind is at my back. Too bad I can't just keep running in this direction. Alas, I have to turn around at some point. Even going south, it doesn't seem too awful. Then it's time to turn West. Zowie -> I'm stood straight up, and it's all I can do to keep moving forward at all. I have to look down to prevent debris from flying into my eyes. 

Finally, I'm back home again. It's been only 4.03 miles, so we can call this Shortrun to Shortstack.

I have a big heart

 They tell me that I have a big heart.

WARNING: This post will suddenly devolve into potty humor.

“They” are the Cleveland Clinic folks running tests galore on me. I’m in another brain study. This one includes, among other things, an Electrocardiogram (EKG), a smell test, a sleep test, and a poop test. More on the latter ones in a minute, but first, I’ll discuss the EKG result.

Right atrial enlargement/dilation was indicated. My primary care physician was notified, and she ordered an Echocardiogram (Echo), which confirmed the result and provided much more detail. The condition may be caused by my running. Furthermore, it may be the normal way the heart adjusts to heavy-duty cardiovascular training. To ensure this is the case and that nothing further is amiss, I have an appointment with a sports cardiologist. That won’t be until March, so I’ll have to try to survive until then.

My strong belief is that this is nothing to be concerned about. I tell Debbie that it’s a good thing, not a bad thing. But she has me convinced I should continue following the medical recommendations. I’m hoping the sports doc will give me the green light.

Now, about the other tests. The smell test was kind of fun. But the sleep and poop tests, not so much. Trying to sleep with dozens of electrodes attached to various parts of my body was pretty awful. The technicians said they wanted me to get a minimum of 4 to 6 hours of sleep (I was at the Intercontinental Hotel near the downtown Clinic). I doubt that I got that much - I was that uncomfortable.

Sleep study

But that didn’t even come close to my level of discomfort associated with the poop test. I tried so very hard to follow the instructions - use the “feces collector” paper that you attach to the sides of the seat, poop, but don’t pee into the sample, don’t let the sample fall into the water, etc., etc. When finished, you use the tongue depressor (and don’t even think about using it as such afterward) to scoop the poop a fair amount of it into a small jar with a lid. Then you package it all up with an ice pack and ship it to the Cleveland Clinic via FedEx. And don’t get me started on the fact that whatever they pay the folks who open the packages isn’t enough.

My instructions

Now, imagine the worst thing that could happen in my attempt to follow these instructions. Then multiply that by, oh, a million or so. That’s how bad it was when the paper fell into the toilet as I got off the seat, tongue depressor in hand, ready to scoop. It was only one side, so some poop had not yet submerged. I tried desperately to scoop this up before it sank. But it wasn’t enough, and the little bit I got caused a huge mess.

The only thing I could do at this point was to try again. They had provided an additional feces collector and tongue depressor. Would it be okay to pile the new poop on top of the little bit I got the first time? I would need to try. After 90 minutes of additional coffee and waiting, it was time to go again. Guess what? Despite my careful best efforts, the exact same thing happened again! This time, to get enough, I scooped as much out of the water as I could. I know. I wasn’t supposed to - it would become contaminated. But what could I do? I was out of options.

Then the toilet flooded. The paper collector was supposed to be flushable, but why should that go right when nothing else would?

I took my possibly contaminated sample to the FedEx store. It was packaged nicely, and the sample had styrofoam and an ice pack. But I’m sure they knew what was inside, based on the lettering on the box. They said it wouldn’t ship until the next day, Monday. Well, it could only be contaminated so much. I hope it doesn’t smell by the time they receive it.

Now that I've probably failed the poop test, what does that say about my brain?

2025 Brunswick Marathon Race Report

I am starting my fourth of four 6.55-mile circuits. My friends and running partners, Julie Boggs and Theresa Wright, have finished running. It was great to have their company while it lasted. But now I'm on my own, and I just want to get this done.

Julie and Theresa are cheering wildly for me as I run by for the 1-mile lake loop portion of the course. I think some of the other folks are wondering what's going on. I'm finally running a little faster, and this is surprising; I usually slow down when I find myself completing a run on my own. I do miss my friends now, though. I concentrate on my pace even a little more.

It's been a great day so far. Several friends showed up for the run, and they all seemed to enjoy it. Enjoying the rest of the event is now the least that I can do. Even though I'm not able to catch up with any of the fast marathoners today, I happily accept my last-place 4:45 finish. It always feels good to finish strong.

Most of us before the start

A few others, partway through

My victory pose

My splits

Yule like this story

The main reason you will like this post is that it's short.

I'm running down Substation and turning right on Sleepy Hollow. It's early and, except for the holiday lights, quite dark. You guessed it. I'm doing my annual Christmas run. As in recent years, I have a timing deadline: I have to be done by 7:00 AM. That's when the grandkids begin to open their presents. After heading West, I turn North on Metzger, across 303, then out on Myrtle. Finally, I go up Hartneck before continuing through the new subdivision and back home. It's my New Subs 11-mile route, and it's been a while since I've done it.

That's partly due to increasing traffic, at least at certain times of day. But on Christmas Day itself? Not one iota of traffic. Even though it's cool and damp out, this quiet little run is quite enjoyable. Almost so much so that I nearly forget that I have a marathon in two days.

I do make it back home by 7, but the kids have already started without me.

I will get over it.

2025 Frosty Five Race Report

"This will not stand." For the second consecutive race, Theresa Wright passes me in the final stages of a race, like I was standing still. I say something encouraging and nice, but inside, I'm seething. I make it a point to catch back up to her, even with less than a mile to go. I begin to make up some ground, but it's tough with the black ice everywhere.

And I do mean everywhere. It seems there had been heavy fog, which turned into heavy frost on the streets of Hudson. Footing has been treacherous the whole way. It is all any of us 800+ runners can do but remain vertical. (By the way, Frosty is appropriately part of the race name, and Vertical is appropriately part of the race organization team. Just pointing that out.) My pace is fluctuating wildly, depending on the ambient footing, which is almost but not quite uniformly bad.

Do I manage to catch Theresa? Nope. I do get fairly close, though. But I guess it did stand. My time is 43:03. Not nearly as good as last year's 41:41, or the previous year's 40-something. Blame it on the frosty frost. At least I won my age group.

Dan and Theresa

Crunch

Danny-Boy is running loops around Claggett Middle School Track. He'd run with friends and was now attempting to complete an eighteen-mile run just like he did last week. But this time the crunchy ice and snow are not so nice. Will Danny be able to successfully finish his long run amid such adversity?

It's not like he hasn't been running a lot. Two days ago, Danny-Boy had run the Christmas Lights Run in Akron. He'd had tons of fun seeing the lights with all his friends. But that evening eight, along with all his other running was beginning to add up.

With friends at Stan Hywet Hall during the Christmas Lights Run

Danny-Boy gets back off the track with several miles yet to run. He simply can't do it. But he does manage to complete his run by going out and back by Roscoe Ewing Park.

This was a tough one. D-B is happy it's over. He's more happy that he made it.

Long or bust

It's time. Time for a long run, after two weeks of lollygagging. 

It's an early start. Running eighteen or more miles takes time. It takes even more time when you're running slowly because of tough conditions. Running friends come and go, but they're all completely done and on their way home when Danny-Boy is only eleven miles into his eighteen. Seven more. Where, and how, to do them?

Although the City of Medina had made an attempt to plow its all-purpose trails, there was still too much snow and ice. The roads were somewhat better, but there were still some bad spots, and traffic had been building. Danny-Boy heads over to the Claggett Middle School track.

He doesn't hold much hope for this surface to be runnable; there's ice and snow everywhere else. Sure enough, the track is completely snow-covered. Danny-Boy gingerly starts a circuit. The snow is mostly crunchy, but thankfully not slippery. Danny-Boy deems it good for the remainder of the run. Round and round he goes.

He's not moving fast; the pace is slower than before. But at least it's steady, and improving, just a bit. Danny-Boy successfully completes the run. It wasn't easy. Nothing is, these days.

Nope

"Nope" was the first coherent thought of the day. A 5-6 mile group run had been planned for the Lexington Ridge Clubhouse. But from my vantage point, everything was covered with new, overnight snow. I'll just run at home, I think, I won't risk my life to drive down to Medina.

Nope. I'm running in the hood, and it's not going well. There's ice, slush, hard, packy snow, soft, fluffy snow, slippery, sloshy snow. And probably a bunch of others that I can't think of. All this, combined with the cold wind chill, is causing me to reevaluate my life choice. I manage to get five miles in, but the fastest is over fifteen minutes. Some running, eh? Hey, maybe I'll ditch all this and head over to the rec center for some nice, warm indoor running.

Nope. I'm running around and around on the sixteen-laps-per-mile fitness track. After two very boring miles, I simply can't take it anymore. I migrate to the treadmill.

Nope. I can only do one mile on the mill. It's nice to have a couple of TVs to look at, but it's much warmer here, and I don't like having other people around me. Back to the (relatively cool) track.

Yep. Two more miles of sixteen laps each later, and I'm truly done. Got my ten in today, but it took hours and hours and hours. There has to be a better way.

Hey, I know. Move to Florida.

Baby steps

Danny-Boy is taking baby steps as he loops around and around his neighborhood. It's an attempt (a poor one) to remain vertical for ten entire miles. The temperature is actually slightly above freezing for the first time in, oh, eight or ten months. But the cold, freezing rain is still nasty. And there are icy spots on some of the roads. Will he remain horizontal-free for the entire run?

It's the tenth day of this awful December, and treadmill-less Danny-Boy is having a very rough time. He does, however, manage to return home without entertaining the hood with a face-plant. May the rest of the winter be as fortunate.

Rumors of my treadmill's demise...

True to its Name (before and after)

Rumors of my treadmill's demise have been greatly accurate. After 23 years and 9,963 miles (not including Debbie's walking), the old True 550 finally bit the dust. Winter, it seems, is tough on all of us, this December in particular. I spent four days in a row on it, and that was the last straw. The motor began smoking, and I wasn't able to fix it. With a little help (it weighed in at over 300 pounds), it was taken out of the basement, and it's now in that True graveyard in the sky.

Don't worry. Another mill has been purchased and is on the way. More on that later.

Today's "long" 15-miler

We are all well aware that 18 miles or more is a long run, so you don't need to remind us, Danny-Boy. 

But there are exceptions. Right? RIGHT???

Nope. 18 is 18. Doesn't matter how tough the run is; you either achieve the mileage or you don't. You ought to know that, Danny-Boy.

But there was ice, snow, cold, and fast friends who were also having difficulties. Besides, 15 is close enough to 18, isn't it?

Sorry, but no. It don't make no nevermind, DB.

Okay, I guess I get it. This means that today's run was a failure. I guess I'll just go and cry.

Ice-Nine Redux

The subject of Ice-Nine has graced this blog in the past. In case you forgot, here is my description from a 2018 post:

Ice-nine is a fictional material that appears in Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle. In the story, it is invented by Dr. Felix Hoenikker and developed by the Manhattan Project in order for foot soldiers to no longer have to deal with mud. The project is abandoned when it becomes clear that any quantity of it would have the power to destroy all life on Earth, since the entire planet would become frozen regardless of temperature. 

A global catastrophe involving freezing the world's oceans with ice-nine is what we seem to have this morning. It's cold out, and it's slick. The roads hadn't been so bad driving down to Medina, but now that I'm meeting with my friends, things aren't so hunky-dory. Even the Lexington Ridge Clubhouse parking area is treacherous. As we head out on the road, it gets worse. We're all shuffling slowly, except for 4WD Otis. He's happy as heck. The rest of us, not so much. With only a mile to go, two of my friends make full-body contact with the road. Ouch. Otis wonders what the problem is. Somehow, we all make it back. I'm hoping we're all okay.

The best news about today's run is that it's over and that there were apparently no major injuries. AND that it wasn't me who fell... For a change.

Lube: it's not just for breakfast anymore

What's that smell? Oh, nothing. It's just something metallic burning inside the treadmill. Good thing I am nine miles into my ten-mile run. My old True machine might possibly just make it through one more workout. Or not.

It's my fourth mill day in a row. That's because the weather's been frightful. And winter is just beginning. I usually go stir-crazy after milling around so much. I'm about there now. 

Once the odor becomes strong enough, I begin to worry. Is this the end of days (for the beast)? Please, treadmill gods, help this 24-year-old baby get through one more year. I stop and add some lube. Not for me, for the mill. I do this by spreading pelletized wax under the hot (too hot) belt. Then I walk-jog another mile.

Now the smell is less metallic and more like burning wax. An improvement? Who knows. Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow, so I may be milling at least one more time. Then, we will see.